Presidential Archives Exhibition Hall 'Role of the President' Fully Renovated... 629 Records Documented

‘Presidential Inaugural Speech and Oath Heard in Voice’, ‘Presidential Inauguration Ceremony, A Day’s Record’ Vividly Recreated

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s Presidential Archives announced on the 13th that starting from the 14th, the 4th floor exhibition hall “The Role of the President” at the Presidential Records Exhibition Hall will be newly renovated and presented to the public.

Through the complete overhaul of this exhibition hall, 629 documents, photos, videos, administrative artifacts, and various exhibition records have been expanded, reexamining the meaning of the president’s role. Using the latest production techniques such as “Inaugural Speech and Oath of the President in Voice” and “The President’s Inauguration Day, A Record of One Day,” the inauguration day of the president is vividly recreated.

The “Role of the President” exhibition hall is largely composed of the evolution of the presidential system, presidential elections and inauguration, and the status and role of the president, allowing visitors to systematically understand the history and structure of the presidential system. In the “Evolution of the Presidential System” corner, the history of Korea’s presidential system from the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea established by the March 1st Movement in 1919 to the present is displayed at a glance.

The Constitution of the Republic of Korea, which embodies modern political order such as democracy, rule of law, and protection of fundamental rights of the people, the English translation document of the 1948 Constitution obtained through the “Korean Peace Press” in Washington, USA, at the Australian Embassy in the US in August 1948 and reported to its own Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the video of the first presidential and vice-presidential election held by indirect election in the National Assembly on July 20, 1948, vividly and realistically show the evolution process of the presidential system.

In the “Presidential Election and Inauguration” corner, presidential records related to presidential elections, the Presidential Transition Committee, and presidential inaugurations are exhibited. Among the presidential election-related records are the registration applications of candidates Roh Tae-woo, Kim Young-sam, and Kim Dae-jung for the 13th presidential election, held by direct popular vote for the first time in 16 years due to the June 10 Democratic Uprising.

Additionally, the president’s first official event is recreated more vividly through the inauguration ceremony and inaugural speech. A new experience corner has been established where visitors can watch and listen again to the oath and inaugural speech at the presidential inauguration, and a newly introduced corner “The President’s Inauguration Day, A Record of One Day” reconstructs the day’s schedule of the presidential inauguration through photos and video records.

Through the “Status and Role of the President” corner, records of past presidents as heads of the executive branch and as heads of state who protect the nation and work toward peaceful reunification of the divided homeland are introduced. Visitors can see the gavel of the State Council, the highest policy deliberation body of the executive branch, the minutes of the first State Council meeting in 1949, and photo records of the first State Council meetings after the inauguration of past presidents.

Meanwhile, since 2019, the Presidential Archives has been implementing a five-year plan to completely replace the aging facilities of the permanent exhibition hall and improve the exhibition environment to optimize understanding and interest in the exhibition themes.

Shim Seong-bo, Director of the Presidential Archives, said, “We plan to continue discovering and researching presidential records as a presidential archive and provide the public with opportunities to experience a richer culture of records.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.